asked. “I waited for you.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
I tilted my head. I had never been asked that. I asked why and my brother always tried to explain. Why not... What a weird question.
“There was no point to wait for me; I had no intention of coming here.”
“I didn't know that. I don't claim to know how a vampire's mind works. You might have decided to appear at any moment. Where were you?” she asked.
“Talking to my brother.”
“So you smoothed out your problem with him?”
I scowled at her choice of words. “I did not have a problem with him. I didn't understand why he was doing what he was. You helped me understand.”
Fallen nodded, looking thoughtful. When she returned her gaze to me, a sly look glimmered. She held out her arm. “Do you want a sip? You look thirsty.”
“I am fine.”
I wasn't fine. I had never been around fresh blood when I wasn't hunting. My gums ached, fangs straining to extend as I forced them to stay put. I felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, desire waiting for me below.
“No.”
“Oh, just thought you wouldn't want it to go to waste.” Fallen innocently shrugged.
I put a scowl on my face, prolonging it to ensure she saw. “The only reason I drink blood is because I need it to survive.”
“Interesting,” she murmured, dragging her finger through the trails of blood.
I watched her, trying to figure her out. She wasn’t anything like the humans in the city or the ones on campus or even my brother. He shuddered at my actions, mourned the humans I killed and I almost understood him at times.
Fallen was a mystery. Everything she said made no sense and her actions confused me. She wanted to interact with me even though there was no reason.
“I have to go,” I said and turned to leave.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” A hint of desperation filled her voice. “You could come visit me at my dorm.”
“I'm not doing that.”
“Why not?” Her voice rose in pitch.
“Why?” I shot back.
Fallen pouted in reply.
I left her, heading to my brother’s room to tell him about Fallen in hopes he could explain this strange human to me. Hopefully he wouldn't be mad I woke him.
Or mad I talked to another human.
Two rhythms on the other side of the glass froze me. Why was there another human in the room? My brother should be the only one.
My mind reeling, I dropped down. I wanted answers to my questions, but for the first time, I had no one to talk to. Long before the sun threatened to rise, I was back in my cellar, curled up in the corner and wishing I wasn’t so alone.
****
Two rhythms beat on the other side of the window again. I scowled at the glass and my reflection scowl back. This was the second night in a row another human was in my brother's room.
Who was with him?
I dropped down and headed to the football field. I wandered up and down the bleachers, searched underneath, weaved across the field and looked in bathrooms and storage rooms, but Fallen wasn’t waiting for me.
I never realized how much I liked having someone to talk to. I always said I didn't care if I had no one to speak with, it wasn’t important to my survival. Now it was all I craved. I slumped onto a stone bench, not caring about the light glowing above. Maybe a human would see me, stop and talk to me.
No. I jumped to my feet and headed down the path. I didn’t need to talk to my brother every night, I told myself as I passed by his dorm and saw his window still shut. I was fine by myself I decided as I doubled checked the football field for Fallen. I didn’t need either of them.
Fallen’s scent froze me as I stalked across a parking lot. Everything I had been trying to convince myself was forgotten as I whirled around and followed. I mused over what to talk about, but nothing came to mind. Something would present itself, I decided. She’d say something and I’d ask her to clarify.
Her scent came from an open window on the second floor of one of the
“Why?”
“Why not?”
I tilted my head. I had never been asked that. I asked why and my brother always tried to explain. Why not... What a weird question.
“There was no point to wait for me; I had no intention of coming here.”
“I didn't know that. I don't claim to know how a vampire's mind works. You might have decided to appear at any moment. Where were you?” she asked.
“Talking to my brother.”
“So you smoothed out your problem with him?”
I scowled at her choice of words. “I did not have a problem with him. I didn't understand why he was doing what he was. You helped me understand.”
Fallen nodded, looking thoughtful. When she returned her gaze to me, a sly look glimmered. She held out her arm. “Do you want a sip? You look thirsty.”
“I am fine.”
I wasn't fine. I had never been around fresh blood when I wasn't hunting. My gums ached, fangs straining to extend as I forced them to stay put. I felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, desire waiting for me below.
“No.”
“Oh, just thought you wouldn't want it to go to waste.” Fallen innocently shrugged.
I put a scowl on my face, prolonging it to ensure she saw. “The only reason I drink blood is because I need it to survive.”
“Interesting,” she murmured, dragging her finger through the trails of blood.
I watched her, trying to figure her out. She wasn’t anything like the humans in the city or the ones on campus or even my brother. He shuddered at my actions, mourned the humans I killed and I almost understood him at times.
Fallen was a mystery. Everything she said made no sense and her actions confused me. She wanted to interact with me even though there was no reason.
“I have to go,” I said and turned to leave.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” A hint of desperation filled her voice. “You could come visit me at my dorm.”
“I'm not doing that.”
“Why not?” Her voice rose in pitch.
“Why?” I shot back.
Fallen pouted in reply.
I left her, heading to my brother’s room to tell him about Fallen in hopes he could explain this strange human to me. Hopefully he wouldn't be mad I woke him.
Or mad I talked to another human.
Two rhythms on the other side of the glass froze me. Why was there another human in the room? My brother should be the only one.
My mind reeling, I dropped down. I wanted answers to my questions, but for the first time, I had no one to talk to. Long before the sun threatened to rise, I was back in my cellar, curled up in the corner and wishing I wasn’t so alone.
****
Two rhythms beat on the other side of the window again. I scowled at the glass and my reflection scowl back. This was the second night in a row another human was in my brother's room.
Who was with him?
I dropped down and headed to the football field. I wandered up and down the bleachers, searched underneath, weaved across the field and looked in bathrooms and storage rooms, but Fallen wasn’t waiting for me.
I never realized how much I liked having someone to talk to. I always said I didn't care if I had no one to speak with, it wasn’t important to my survival. Now it was all I craved. I slumped onto a stone bench, not caring about the light glowing above. Maybe a human would see me, stop and talk to me.
No. I jumped to my feet and headed down the path. I didn’t need to talk to my brother every night, I told myself as I passed by his dorm and saw his window still shut. I was fine by myself I decided as I doubled checked the football field for Fallen. I didn’t need either of them.
Fallen’s scent froze me as I stalked across a parking lot. Everything I had been trying to convince myself was forgotten as I whirled around and followed. I mused over what to talk about, but nothing came to mind. Something would present itself, I decided. She’d say something and I’d ask her to clarify.
Her scent came from an open window on the second floor of one of the
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